La représentation du « Same Sex Marriage » – enjeux cognitifs et métaphoriques

Abstract

This article aims at showing the role of metaphoric expressions in the definition, representation, and conceptualization of the institution of marriage during the Same Sex Marriage Bill debate, which took place in the United-Kingdom in 2013. By combining quantitative and qualitative analyses, my goal was to show why conceptual metaphors must not be seen as fixed and already established cognitive structures but rather as dynamic expressions which evolve as discourse unfolds. This article focuses on two specific metaphorical patterns, i.e. MARRIAGE IS THE FOUNDATION OF SOCIETY and MARRIAGE IS THE GOLD STANDARD. By taking into account both their pragmatic and rhetorical dimensions, I tried to show how these two metaphors helped to shape specific discourse framing and served the reproduction of negative stereotypes.